Dentons expands team with new partner

9 Jul 2025Appointments

Dentons has welcomed Ellis Lawson, a trade and commodities finance expert, enhancing its Banking and Finance team in London

Dentons is thrilled to announce the arrival of Ellis Lawson as a partner in its Banking and Finance – Asset, Trade and Export Finance team based in London. Joining from Sullivan & Worcester, where he served as a partner, Ellis brings considerable expertise gained over his extensive career, including a notable 12-year tenure at Allen & Overy. His experience spans various locations, including London, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, which positions him uniquely to contribute to Dentons' global reach.

Ellis’ primary focus lies in international trade and commodity finance transactions. His work encompasses a wide range of financial structures, including syndicated and bilateral borrowing base, inventory finance, and pre-export and prepayment finance arrangements. He has built a reputation for effectively advising banks, private credit providers, borrowers, and development finance institutions on complex financing structures. Additionally, his expertise in receivables finance, invoice discounting, and supply chain finance further highlights the breadth of his capabilities.

Having spent a significant portion of his career working in the Middle East, Ellis offers valuable insights into transactions that extend across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. His proficiency is not limited to trade finance; he also possesses considerable experience in bilateral and syndicated emerging markets finance, development finance, and sustainability-linked and green finance transactions. Furthermore, he has been instrumental in restructuring non-performing financings, particularly within the trade and commodities finance sector, and has significant knowledge of Sharia-compliant finance structures.

Paul Jarvis, CEO of Dentons' UK, Ireland and Middle East (UKIME) region, expressed enthusiasm regarding Ellis’ addition to the team, stating that "Ellis' appointment supports the growth of our Trade Finance practice at a time of rising demand for this experience." This sentiment was echoed by Nick Hayday, Head of Banking and Financial Services Division UK and Global Co-Chair for the Banking & Finance Group, who noted that "Ellis' appointment will add further regional diversity to our Trade Finance practice." With Ellis on board, Dentons aims to strengthen its advisory capabilities to UK, European, and Middle Eastern banks, as well as international commodities traders in this ever-evolving field.

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